Utah man among 2 convicted of killing fellow inmate in Georgia

Atlanta • Federal prosecutors say two prison inmates have been found guilty in a racially motivated murder at a facility in Atlanta.

Authorities say 53-year-old Donald R. LaFond Jr. of New Bedford, Mass., and 35-year-old Jason Robert Widdison, of Morgan, Utah, beat another inmate to death in March of 2011.

Officials say the victim — who was also white — refused to comply with white supremacist prison gang code when he declined to protest having a black cellmate.

Prosecutors say the victim was attacked when he tried making conversation with LaFond and Widdison while they were exercising. The two began punching the victim and stomped his head and neck after he fell to the ground. The victim died nearly a month after the attack.

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